CELTIC Warriors coach Lynn Howells is putting the Celtic League on ginger alert ahead of tomorrow's clash with Leinster at Sardis Road.

CELTIC Warriors coach Lynn Howells is putting the Celtic League on ginger alert ahead of tomorrow's clash with Leinster at Sardis Road.

Free from the pressure-cooker atmosphere of international rugby Howells believes Neil Jenkins is booted up to become a key figure in the Warriors' drive for silverware this term.

Jenkins kicked off his campaign in familiar fashion with a 24-point haul in the Warriors' 49-12 win over the Borders at Netherdale last Friday night.

It earned the ginger magician the Press' man-of-the-match award and rave reviews from the Warriors' money man Leighton Samuel.

"Neil is still the best outside-half in Wales," proclaimed Samuel.

"And Ceri Sweeney won't mind me saying that because I told him as much a fortnight ago."

It also had the man on the mike at Netherdale purring with delight lamenting Jenkins omission from Steve Hansen's World Cup squad - not realising the kicking king had called time on Wales after a 12-year career spanning 87 caps and 1,049 points.

And on the evidence of his Borders raid, Howells believes his Pontypridd points predator is set to fill his boots in the new-look Celtic League.

"When you go away from home in the Celtic League, you need to put pressure on and keep the scoreboard ticking over," said Howells.

"When you have the best goalkicker in the world he makes that job look easy.

"I think Neil looks like he is enjoying his rugby and that invariably happens when you take the pressure of international rugby off a player's back.

"He has worked very hard through the summer and geared everything for the start of the season and that certainly showed against the Borders."

Tomorrow provides a completely different test for Jenkins and the Warriors with a Leinster squad ravaged by the call-up of 10 players to Ireland's World Cup adventure plus the shock of last week's 15-8 home defeat against Munster.

It puts the Warriors in the box seat for back-to-back wins but Howells admits his office has been busy this week putting players in their place for some sloppy defending late on in Scotland.

"The disappointing thing in Scotland was the two late tries we conceded and we fell off tackles," added Howells.

"I had something to say to the players in my office this week on that.

"It was good to get that first win under our belt on Friday night and it was especially pleasing coming away from home. Getting started on the field might help people forget the political side of things and get on with the rugby.

"What makes the win all the better was the guys we had missing against the Borders.

"Our centres Shaun James and David Bishop are 22 and 20 respectively but they had the old man Neil Jenkins inside them and that makes a big difference.

"Getting turnover ball is something we are working very hard at and we have to put pressure on sides coming away from home. It is not going to be as easy as that week-in week-out and when the World Cup dies away and players come back I believe the Celtic League will take off.

"It wouldn't surprise me if the top English clubs don't want a part of it and it becomes a British League.

"It is great to say to those boys returning from the World Cup this autumn they are not guaranteed a place when they come back."

The Warriors received a boost this week when fleet-footed Tongan wing Aisea Havili pulled out of their World Cup squad after being asked by the South Sea Islanders to stump up the cash for the trip to Australia.

Fellow Tongan Sililo Martens will still make the trip, leaving the Warriors 10 short during the World Cup campaign as well as Dafydd James and Maama Molitika nursing long term injuries.

But Borders coach Tony Gilbert believes the Warriors are trying to hoodwink the rest of the Celtic League by playing up their unavailabilities.

"I thought the Warriors were just terrific against us," said the Kiwi.

"They came out and played with great passion and they did the basics right while Neil Jenkins kicked the goals like he always does.

"They made great use of turnover ball. The Warriors have a lot of their squad going to the World Cup but they look like they have brought in another squad from the next hillside."